Looking back at The Challenge 39 finale: What happened and who won?

MTV's The Challenge continues its two-decade run of competition series where reality stars compete for cash prizes. While The Challenge season 40 is all set to conclude on January 8, 2025, the preceding season 39 made history with its fresh roster. For the first time in the show's history, the season featured a cast without returning champions.

Emanuel Neagu from Survivor Romania claimed victory in The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion finale, which aired on February 21, 2024. The competition's final stage brought five competitors through multiple rounds of physical and mental trials across two days.

Neagu won the $250,000 prize while Nurys Mateo took second place with $60,000. Colleen Schneider secured third position earning $30,000. Corey Lay and Berna Canbeldek finished fourth and fifth without prize money.

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The Challenge 39 crowned Emanuel Neagu as the winner in the February finale

The Challenge, season 39 finale began with Emanuel Neagu establishing control through the opening swim challenge. Competitors faced an extended kayaking segment that pushed stamina limits in choppy waters. The physical toll became apparent as contestants emerged from the water with visible exhaustion.

The overnight phase required finalists to remove tiles from narrow cages while staying awake. When rain started falling, competitors used The Challenge panels to create protection. Emanuel held his position during the night segment as other contestants battled sleep deprivation. The first portion's design tested mental strength alongside physical capabilities.

Day two kicked off with another water challenge followed by a steep run to the initial checkpoint. Contestants then completed a mountain descent on ropes before moving to a challenge that tested memory skills. This segment made finalists swim repeatedly to study a grid displaying past Challenge contestants and then recreate it on land.

The late stages introduced a Sudoku puzzle that shifted the competition's momentum. The mathematical challenge marked a turning point as contestants balanced mental acuity against physical exhaustion from previous segments.

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Critical moments

Nurys secured her finale spot through a crucial elimination victory against Moriah. The elimination required contestants to race across an island to find puzzle clues.

The final stretch saw momentum shifts during the five-station checkpoint phase. Emanuel faced difficulties with the Sudoku puzzle, opening a window for position changes. Nurys gained ground at the stations matching her previous elimination wins. Corey came close to third place but struggled with balance beam completion, allowing Colleen to secure the position.

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Behind the competition

The broadcast showcased selected segments of the multi-hour competition. Physical segments lasted longer than television edits displayed.

Emanuel crossed approximately 15-20 minutes ahead of Nurys according to multiple competitor accounts. Colleen finished 45 minutes after the second-place spot. The fourth and fifth place holders followed with additional time gaps.

Emanuel reached the finale without facing elimination rounds throughout the season. His path contrasted with Nurys who fought through multiple elimination challenges. In an exit interview with Entertainment Weekly, when asked if he regrets not going on eliminations, The Challenge season 39 winner said:

“No, I definitely don't regret it. That's for the books to say, that you went in, had no eliminations, you won the most games where you would potentially go in, then win the season. It's nice to have it like that.”

Colleen maintained consistent performances leading to her third-place finish. Corey and Berna showed strong competitive abilities but faced challenging final obstacles that impacted their placements.

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The Challenge season 40 finale part 2 will air on January 8, 2025, on MTV.